Reaching out, Part 1:Firestorm

by Erstwhile Tail

II

Scott Tracy often found himself in tight situations, both figuratively and literally, during his career of Pilot of Thunderbird 1 and second-in-command of International Rescue. This was one of those situations: a freight train had derailed on a bridge spanning the Mississippi River in central North America, the locomotive was dangling precariously over the canyon with the bridge having suffered moderate damage. Virgil, in Thunderbird 2, was still 2 minutes out and Thunderbird 2’s VTOL system was needed to keep both sides of the bridge from collapsing. Thunderbird 1's VTOL system was strong enough for the weight, but only had one cable, where 2 was needed.

Despite that fact, Scott needed to buy time. Opening the cargo bay doors on the craft, he aimed Thunderbird 1's magnetic utility gun carefully before firing it. He watched it sail true and latch into the can roof of the dangling locomotive, Scott gave it full vertical thrust. Taking the weight of the stricken engine off the damaged bridge.

“Thunderbird 1 to Thunderbird 2 there’s no way I can lift this locomotive if the freight cars go over, please tell me that you’re-“

Virgil’s voice came over the com speakers of Thunderbird 1, “Way ahead of you Thunderbird 1 attaching magnetic cables.”

Scott looked out the side view camera and saw the large green machine that was Thunderbird 2, International Rescue’s heavy rescue craft. With several modules that can be switched out in seconds to suit any emergency rescue operation. Module 2 was what Virgil had come equipped with, it had 2 customizable pods, multipurpose vehicles that can be customized for any situation, it also had two powerful electro magnetic grapples. Thunderbird 2 had latched onto the bridge, one cable on each side of the buckling point. Virgil increased the viatical thrust as he took the bridges weight off itself.

Just then, John Tracy radioed in from International Rescue’s communication space station, Thunderbird 5, from where he was monitoring the rescue.

“Thunderbird 1, I’ve just done a scan of the bridge's structural integrity and it’s not good.”

“What are we talking Thunderbird 5? I thought you said it sustained moderate damage.” Scott replied.

“Yes, but I’ve had EOS do a more detailed scan and maintenance history. This bridge was last serviced almost 5 years ago, and inspected with a well below average score 2 years ago. This bridge should have been closed.”

“That complicates things. Thunderbird 5, how long can this bridge free stand?”

“Not long, it would collapse before you’d even leave the immediate area, and that’s with no weight besides it's own. You have to get the crew out of the engine now. I’ve alerted the company and they’ve halted all traffic in the area.”

“F.A.B. Thunderbird 5, Thunderbird 2, can you hold it while I evacuate the crew?”

“Doesn’t look like I have a choice. Make it quick, the bridge framework may snap from my grapples.” Virgil replied, “I’ve slaved Thunderbird 1 to my controls, as soon as you are ready, I’ll lower a harness to take them aboard.”

Scott had now moved to the cargo bay, Thunderbird 1 was one large compartment and the bay doors were directly behind the pilot seat. He fasted on his multipurpose helmet, with the same color scene as his flight suit with an air filtration and oxygen replenishing systems built into the rear of it, allowing use both underwater and space. Scott grabbed one of the few jet packs that he had equipped on board and quickly fashioned it to his back. Linking two wireless control devices with the jet pack as he leapt out of the belly of Thunderbird 1.

Scott fired the jet pack, quickly gaining control of his decent and quickly landed on the nose of the locomotive, it was an older design, older than even his grandmother, it was a design from the 1980s but built in the 1990s. The fact it was still in service in mid 2061 didn’t even surprise Scott with the shoddy record of the company that owned it. But that was a situation for later, he crouched down and peered into the cab of the engine. Two crew members waved to him both having gripping the back of their respective seats the whole time. Neither showed any signs of injury.

Scott placed a device that their chief Engineer - Brains - had developed to communicate through glass and other materials. The specifics of which Scott couldn’t understand but it worked and that was all he cared about.

“This is International Rescue, remain calm, we have the situation under control. Are there any injuries?”

“No, we were both sitting when we jumped the tracks, just shaken up. We’re the only ones on board.” The one behind the conductor's seat said.

“Alright, there’s some good news, we have to evac you from the locomotive, I’m going to enter the cab through the front of the locomotive.”

“No good, it was smashed up during the crash, the doors jammed shut.” The one behind the Driver seat informed.

“Then I’ll have to cut through the glass, get as far back as you can, and cover your faces.”

The two crew members quickly got up and moved to the back of the cab, getting as low as they could with their backs facing the cab windows. Scott grabbed his utility gun and switched out the cable cartridge for one of his laser ones. With the aim that came with his short service in the Air Force, he quickly cut a neat and clean cut through the edges of the glass. When he completed then outline he gave it a kick, sending it crashing into the cab where it shattered on the floor.

“Virgil, send down the harnesses.”

“F.A.B. lowering rescue harnesses.”

Scott looked up and saw the two harnesses lowering out of the bottom front of Thunderbird 2. By then the two crew members had made their way to the front of the cab and Scott reached out a hand helping both up one at a time.

“Ok Virgil will winch you both into Thunderbird 2, I’ll fly up with you to ensure nothing goes wrong!” Scott instructed, “all you have to do is stay calm.”

It only took a couple seconds to get the harnesses fastened onto the crew. But it turned out to be time that they didn’t have. With the center of balance and mass being shifted to the front as the 3 of them stood on the nose of the engine, the locomotive lurched down, and the structure groaned in protest.

“The bridge is failing, increasing vertical thrust.” Virgil radioed.

“I’m starting the winch,” Scott radioed as he pressed some buttons on his wrist controller, the two crew being pulled skyward. “Just keep the bridge up for a few mo-“

“Scott it’s too late! The bridge is collapsing!” John radioed from Thunderbird 5.

Scott whirled around in time to see the sections that Thunderbird 2’s cables break away from the rest of the bridge. Scott barely had time to register this before the bridge began to collapse. The locomotive’s coupler finally snapped and the engine, with Scott on the cab roof, plummeted to the river below.

Inside Thunderbird 2, Virgil quickly opened the canopy of Thunderbird 1, while detaching it's cable to not drag the craft with the locomotive. All he could do now was watch the holo-display of his brother falling.

Jumping away from the doomed locomotive, Scott fired his jetpack, but a piece of bridge slammed into his back as he tumbled through the air. His jetpack took the blow, saving Scott from injury, but was destroyed. Thinking quickly, Scott grabbed his utility gun from his side, ejecting the spent laser cartridge and slamming a grapple one home. Taking quick aim he fired at cockpit of Thunderbird 1, which was located in the bottom of the nose, the magnetic grapple soared true and latched itself onto the interior metal skin of the rescue vehicle it quickly slowed and stopped his fall thanks to the engineering of the system inside the grapple.

Scott retracted the line, quickly pulling himself up to the craft, his seat rotating down on a robotic arm. Once he was seated he looked down at the locomotive and bridge below, water quickly filling the compartments of the locomotive, as it began to sink. It was unfortunate they were unable to save it, but human lives came first. It would be one hell of a mess to clean up, something the local Authorities would take charge of.

"Thunderbird 1 to Thunderbird 2 and 5, I'm aboard, no further casualties to report. I'd say this rescue is complete." Scott radioed.

"F.A.B. Scott, I'll drop these 2 off and brief the local authorities on the state of the scene then I'll see you back on Tracy Island." radioed Virgil.

"F.A.B. Thunderbird 1 is leaving the Danger Zone." Scott said, his seat now firmly in his cockpit and the reinforced glass canopy closing below him. He checked his compass headings as he throttled up and began to gain altitude. Once he reached the altitude he was authorized to fly hypersonic at he switched on the scramjets and watched the Machs climb slowly to Mach 14.

"Thunderbird 1 to Tracy Island, hope you got dinner on the grill Dad, I'll be home in 15. Thunderbird 1 out." He radioed.

---

Miles above Earth, in Geosynchronous orbit above Tracy Island, International Rescue's space station, known as Thunderbird 5 receives all distress calls from anywhere in the world, and sometimes beyond. John Tracy was the middle of the 5 Tracy brothers, choosing to study electronics and communications, it was a no-brainer that he'd be the one to live almost 24/7 on the space station. John wasn't unfamiliar with odd calls, in both emergency and regular calls. But the one that Colonel Casey had sent him, in text was... unexpected to say the least.

"EOS, can you verify the origin of this message?" John asked after reading it for the 3rd time.

EOS was the brains behind Thunderbird 5, making it literal as she was the computer system, she may be Artificial Intelligence made by a fluke of his own programming that tried to kill Brains, Scott, Alan, and him over the course of a week but bygones be bygones. But that was last year, now she was a valued member of International Rescue.

Her mobile camera's ring lights pulsed for a second, before she responded the same ring lights blinking to indicate her talking, "I've run every path I could, every route shows this is from the Colonel, which means..."

John looked down, being in the gravity ring simulated Earth's gravity using centripetal acceleration, by rotating the ring this allowed the gravity to be generated by the occupants being accelerated to stay in the circle instead of a straight line, after all what is Gravity but a constant acceleration. John shook the thought from his brain, physics may have been his minor in college but he felt like he applied it more to everyday life, than his major at electronic communications.

He watched Earth as it passed below him, the view that would never grow old. John sighed and opened a priority com channel to the rest of International Rescue. It looked like it was going to be another one of those days... again.

"International Rescue, we have a situation."

Comments

[8_Bit]

Interesting... very interesting. Alright, have an upvote as you do have my attention. I'm curious to see where this goes